Tip of the Week – Listing Accuracy

Posted on September 10, 2012 by admin_ecar

I know that I don’t have to tell you the importance of entering your listing accurately. You know why. But there may be some follow-up details that you didn’t think about.

If you’ve been a member or MLS subscriber with ECAR for any amount of time, you’ve probably heard about the citation system. Two part process – automatic search or reported violation. There’s automatic fines for some violations, and warning periods then fines for other violations. If we could get everyone to accurately enter their listings, and within the rules, there wouldn’t be fines at all.

But as long as humans are doing the work, there will be mistakes and efforts to best serve the customer, even if it skirts the rules. So there has to be penalties for rule breaking. Like it or not.

Accuracy. Not just when the listing is initially entered, but also as things change at the property.

I’ve seen listings that indicated To Be Built in the construction status field, but the picture shows a completed house. And it was a picture, not a rendering.

Or the listing indicates that there’s a refrigerator but there isn’t one in the house. I’ve heard of several agents who have had to buy a fridge because of that.

Another thing that’s happening too often is vandalism. Not just here locally, but nationally. With more and more abandoned homes, and more people without jobs and in dire straits, the temptation to take copper, aluminum, etc, is rampant.

There’s not a lot you can do about the vandalism, but there is still some responsibility to the listing accuracy. Should the listing say that there’s an AC unit, if that unit has been stolen? Or ripped apart? Should the Interior Features field indicate granite counter tops if they’ve been stripped?

I know! I can hear it already! You’re telling me that you have a responsibility to the seller to put the property in the best light. And should you be held to keeping a running inventory of each property that you list, with weekly visits to keep up with everything? That’s up to you, but the listing still needs to be accurate.

Keeping the listing up-to-date helps everyone. Buyers and buyer agents need to be able to search for or eliminate certain things, sellers and listing agents want get the property sold. Accuracy goes a long way in getting both things done.

If you have any questions, please call us at 850-244-2411, or email susan@ecaor.com.

Susan Beck, MLS Director
Emerald Coast Association of REALTORS
Fort Walton Beach, FL